AN ERGONOMIC EDUCATION AND EVALUATION PROGRAM FOR APPRENTICE CARPENTERS

Eighteen new apprentice carpenters received sixteen hours of ergonomic s awareness education as a parr of their regular apprenticeship traini ng during 1994 and 1995. An equal number of apprentices received no tr aining but sewed as controls. The training rook place in the Southwest Ohio District Council of Carpenters's Joint Apprenticeship and Traini ng School. The curriculum was designed to be ''learner-centered.'' Ins truction included short lectures presented by a journeyman carpenter a nd emphasized participatory activities in the school's carpentry shop. Ongoing program evaluation assessed trainees' reactions ro the conten t and structure of the curriculum and its influence on their behavior. Trainees and controls completed brief quizzes on ergonomic knowledge. Hands-on exercises enabled trainees to apply recently acquired ergono mic knowledge in the school's carpentry shop. Trainees scored signific antly higher on one-half of the post-session quizzes and the comprehen sive test. Trainees preferred participatory teaching methods, especial ly those using redesigned tools (93%) and evaluating ergonomic risks ( 86%); and they supported continued safety and health education during apprentice training. The authors conclude that apprenticeship programs should provide regular ''learner-centered'' occupational safety and h ealth education that includes ergonomics, and these programs should be integrated with their shop-based manual arts instruction. (C) 1997 Wi ley-Liss, Inc.